BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Baseball Field) -
The Bemidji State baseball played its home opener today against
the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. The March 27th game was the
earliest home opener that has ever been played in Bemidji
State’s 55 year baseball era. The Bulldogs played spoiler
as they swept Bemidji State, capturing Game 1 by a score of
8-1, and capped the twin-bill with a 2-1 win in Game 2.

UMD opened the scoring right away in the first inning as lead
off hitter Tony Doherty led the game off with a double to
left center field. Kyle Zweber followed the double with a
RBI single to put the Bulldogs up 1-0. The Beavers tied the
game up in the home half of the inning on Rich Bohannan’s
(Goodyear, Ariz.) RBI double down the left field line that
scored Josh Silvernagel (Bismarck, N.D.) from first base to
notch the game at one run apiece.

Minnesota Duluth regained the lead in the second inning on
Doherty’s second double of the game. Doherty roped a
double to left field that scored Andrew Heieie from second
base to push the Bulldogs lead to 2-1. The third inning saw
the Bulldogs score four runs to take a commanding five run
lead. Andrew Heieie hit a grand slam home run to left field
that put the Bulldogs up 6-1 through three innings.
The Bulldogs added a run in the fourth and fifth innings to
push its lead to 8-1. Tim Garceau picked up an RBI single
in the fourth inning and Dave Kerber hit the RBI single in
the fifth inning to cap the scoring for the Bulldogs in the
game.

Tony Meech (Menahga, Minn.) took the loss on the mound for
the Beavers, falling to 1-3 on the season, allowing six runs
(five earned) in 3.0 innings of work. He struckout one and
walked one, allowing seven hits. Bryan Buhr (Frazee, Minn.)
and Casey Allar (Sartell, Minn.) pitched in relief; Buhr pitched
2.0 innings giving up three hits while allowing 2 run (1 earned)
with one walk. Allar pitched 2.0 innings striking out two,
allowing three hits and no runs.

Cole Hytjan pitched a one hitter picking up his first win
of the season improving his record to 1-2 for the Bulldogs.
Hytjan pitched all 7.0 innings allowing one run on one hit
with three walks and eight strikeouts.
Rich Bohannon (Goodyear, Ariz.) lead the Beavers going 1-for-2
with one RBI.

Game 2 saw Minnesota Duluth jump to an early lead once again
in the top of the first inning. Tim Garceau hit a two out
home run to left field to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead in
the first inning. Garceau struck again in the third inning
as he doubled to left center field to score Kyle Zweber from
first base. The RBI double pushed the Bulldogs lead to 2-0.
The Beavers got out of the third inning jam when Dallas Jagiela
lined out to Ryan Bohannan (Goodyear, Ariz.) in right field
and then Bohannan was able to gun out David Olson trying to
get back to first base for the inning ending double play.

Bemidji State cut the lead in half with one swing of the bat
by Brian Simon (Owatonna, Minn.). Simon hit his first home
run of the season over the left field fence in the bottom
of the sixth inning to bring the Beavers to within a 2-1 deficit.

Bemidji State tried to mount a comeback in its final at bats
as Tony Samuelson (Pine City, Minn.) and Anthony Stoloski
(Half Moon Bay, Calif.) drew walks to give the Beavers runners
on first and second with one out. Rich Bohannan (Goodyear,
Minn.) advanced the runners to second and third on a ground
out to third base for the second out of the inning. The Bulldogs
were able to get the third out of the inning and hold onto
a 2-1 win to complete the sweep over the Beavers.

Brent Vollbrecht (Morristown, Minn.) took the loss for the
Beavers fall to 0-2 on the season. Vollbrecht pitched 4.0
innings giving up two runs on five hits with one strikeout
and four walks. Karl Willers (Slayton, Minn.) pitched 3.0
innings of relief allow zero runs on one hit with two strikeouts.

John Vaudreuil picked up the win improving to 2-0 on the season.
Gary Wilfahrt Jr. and Kyle Zweber pitched in relief; Wilfahrt
Jr. pitched 1.0 innings allowing BSU’s lone run on two
hits. Zweber picked up his third save of the season giving
up no runs on no hits with two walks and one strikeout.

Simon lead the Beavers at the plate going 2-for-3 with one
RBI and one homerun.

Bemidji State (3-19; 1-3 NSIC) will travel to Winona, Minn.
for a four-game Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference series
against the Winona State Warriors this weekend. The Warriors
hots the Beavers in a pair of double headers scheduled for
1:30 p.m. and noon starts, respectively, on March 31 and April
1.